Kodak HD 400

[Ektagraphic]

Has anyone else out there ever shot the Kodak HD400 film? It is actually pretty good. It is like in the middle of Gold and the Portra series. I don't shoot many rolls of neg film, but I wanted to try it since I have always been curious about it and I was quite pleased. B&H and CVS/Pharmacy are the only places that I have seen it lately. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/280243-USA/Kodak_1190750_High_Definition_135_24_400.html
http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=3316/7010/6994/1094&pq-locale=en_US

 

[Neal]

Dear Ektagraphic,

Yes, I have used it and it's a lovely film. Very nice grain and very neutral color. I think it is actually a renamed version of the old "Royal Gold". Even if it's not, the results are similar. Think of it as a consumer version of Portra 400NC.

Neal Wydra

 

[B&Wpositive]

I used 2 rolls a while ago. I didn't like it though. The colors were very saturated, like 400UC on steroids. And the contrast seemed high, which I don't like.

Try it and see if you like it.

 

[John Shriver]

It needs a properly calibrated "channel" in a minilab. Without that the colors can be odd, I had some off-looking prints from Fuji Frontiers. When I scanned the same film (Coolscan IV), it turned out to be quite nice. It is a moderately high contrast and saturation "prosumer" film, I'd say.

I'd rather use Portra 400NC or 400VC, however. Worth the extra money in my book.

 

[mrladewig]

Yes. I like it alot. Scans nicely on my Nikon LS-4000 resulting in nice 12X18 prints and I liked the lab prints I've gotten on it in the past. I prefer it over Portra 400NC. I talked my local camera store into carrying it. My understanding of the origin of this film is that it was brought over to 35mm from the APS line.

Some samples if you're interested.
Dead Link Removed
Dead Link Removed
Dead Link Removed
Dead Link Removed
Dead Link Removed

 

[Ektagraphic]

Great shots!

 

[mabman]

I shot a couple of rolls of the HD 200 (couldn't get the 400 locally) some time ago. As I recall it was OK. I distinctly remember thinking the blues popped more than other films I had used to that point.

It's more expensive than, say, Superia, and frankly for the amount I use colour the quality difference was negligible. If I made larger prints I might be more interested.

That said, I still haven't shot my rolls of Ektar 100, so that may be another contender in the same space.

 

[sfadam]

i love this film more than anyone else in this thread.
the blues it produces might be the reason why. its very sharp (i think technically sharper than UC?) anyway. it disappeared from around here for a while (probably been over a year at least.. maybe 2) and suddenly it showed up (fresh) at a local cvs.

 

[Ektagraphic]

WalMart use to sell it but they put it on clearence and discontinued it.

 

[sfadam]

I bought boxes and boxes of it when Ritz got out of the film business!